Omar took to microblogging site twitter and said, “Excellent move by Narendra Modi to invite SAARC leaders, especially Pak PM for his swearing in. Hope this is beginning of sustained talks.”

“At the same time I can't help wonder what BJP would have said if a PM designate Rahul Gandhi had done the same thing,” he tweeted minutes later.

During his meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday, Modi reportedly expressed his desire to invite world leaders including heads of state of neighbouring countries for his swearing-in ceremony.

The Ministry of External Affairs has begun the process to send the invites.

Modi, who was on Tuesday elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party Parliamentary Party as well as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will take oath as India's 14th Prime Minister on May 26.